Intercourse during ovulation

If you take into account the cycles of the female body, then with the greatest degree of probability, sexual intercourse during ovulation can lead to conception. This fact is very important both for those people who plan to conceive, and for couples who prefer such a peculiar method as coitus interruptus.

Ovulation and fertilization process

In order for conception to occur, it is necessary to organize a meeting of the spermatozoon with the egg until the moment when its decay begins. The life cycle of the egg is notable for its short duration - if fertilization does not occur, it will “die” a day after ovulation. Sometimes the egg can "live" up to 36 hours, and sometimes it "dies" as early as 6 hours after ovulation. This lifespan increases the chance of conception, as the sperm can simply "wait" for ovulation if sexual intercourse occurs a little earlier.

It is not uncommon for couples who are looking to conceive to believe that unprotected intercourse on the day of ovulation will lead to the desired pregnancy.

However, a number of research works clearly demonstrate that unprotected intercourse 3-4 days before the release of a mature egg is no less, and even more effective in this regard - this is due to the fact that men whose regularity of sexual life is 3 -4 days, spermatozoa with increased activity are produced.

These conclusions are based on the fact that it is almost impossible to accurately predict the moment of ovulation. If you plan an unprotected act 3-4 days before it, this guarantees that at the moment when the egg is released, a sperm will already be present in the woman's genital tract, which means that the probability of "meeting" the cells will increase. If a woman's cycle is set, then it is not difficult to calculate the approximate time of ovulation - usually it occurs on the twelfth - fourteenth day. During this period, conception becomes most likely.

If ovulation is irregular, then it becomes almost impossible to predict the moment of release of the egg. In this case, the likelihood of an unplanned conception increases dramatically.

At the same time, not every cycle in a woman is accompanied by ovulation - the number of "empty" cycles directly depends on age. So, in women under the age of thirty, 1-2 cycles per year can pass without ovulation. For representatives of the beautiful half of humanity of older age, the number of such cycles can reach 6-8 per year. It should also be taken into account the interesting fact that in women who have an irregular sex life, sex itself can provoke ovulation, no matter what stage of the cycle it is at.

Ppa as a method of preventing pregnancy

A significant number of couples who do not plan to conceive use coitus interruptus (you may also come across the term "Coitus interruptus") as the only method of contraception. Often the choice is due to the fact that this method has neither financial costs nor preliminary preparation. The essence of the PPA is as follows: sensing the approach of ejaculation, interrupts the act in order to prevent seminal fluid from entering the partner's genital tract.

The PPA does not differ in high reliability. It is not uncommon for a woman to declare pregnancy even with the constant use of Coitus interruptus without cases of ejaculation in the vagina.

There is no absolute certainty that sexual contact will end in a timely manner. From the head of the male penis, when excited, a lubricant (pre-ejaculate) is released, which may contain spermatozoa - their number is relatively small. However, this is quite enough for conception to occur - after all, only one sperm is needed for fertilization. In addition, this substance helps to neutralize the acidic environment that prevails in the vagina, which allows spermatozoa to successfully achieve their goal.

If during one night several pips happened at once, then the spermatozoa can linger in the folds of the flesh or in the urethra of the man, and from there get into the sexual tract of the partner. Therefore, PPA in most cases has a very low effectiveness, especially if it is done at the time of ovulation. There are, however, a number of conditions under which one can count on an increase in the effectiveness of the PPA:

• Partners must be over 30 years old. It is difficult for younger men to control their own physiology due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background and temperament;
• The duration of the joint sexual life of a man and a woman should be at least 10 years. During this period, partners manage to get to know each other well and learn to control their feelings.

Coitus interruptus and its effects

Coitus interruptus as a method of contraception is not recommended for two main reasons:

• The risk of unwanted pregnancy is high, especially if the method is practiced at the time of ovulation or a few days before it;
• The method does not protect against infection, sexually transmitted infections, which include HIV.

In addition, this method has a negative impact on the psychological and physiological state of both partners - men are especially affected. A partner who practices coitus interruptus is constantly in great tension, fearing to miss the moment of approaching ejaculation. In this case, a man needs to quickly move from a state of excitation to inhibition, which has a noticeable effect on higher nervous processes.

Among the negative consequences of regular interruption of sexual intercourse for the male body, the following are distinguished:

• Weakened erection;
• Premature ejaculation;
• Functional disorders of the nervous system;
• Neurotic personality disorders. A man loses self-confidence, which can lead to problems with psychosomatic potency;
• Violation of the functioning of organs and systems.

As a result, the quality of sexual life of partners - both men and women - decreases. Some psychologists argue that couples often break up due to the negative consequences of using the PPA method - however, this is considered controversial, and scientists working in the field of sexology have not yet come to a consensus.

Reliable methods of contraception

If the couple does not plan to have a child in the near future, both partners should pay attention to contraceptive issues. There are reversible and irreversible methods. The first category includes sterilization - male or female. After this procedure, a person becomes permanently unable to conceive. A woman can use this method if she suffers from pathologies, as a result of which childbirth poses a danger to life and health. Also, mothers with many children who do not plan to have more children sometimes apply for such a procedure.

Among the reversible methods of contraception, the following are reliable:

• Condom - with a high degree of probability protects against unwanted pregnancy, and also protects against STIs, including HIV;
• Oral contraceptives - are pills that a woman takes. Requires careful adherence to instructions for use;
• Intrauterine device - installed on the cervix;
• Injections that prevent conception;
• Contraceptive patches;
• Emergency contraception - used within hours of unprotected intercourse.

Only sterilization gives a 100% guarantee that an unwanted pregnancy will not occur. Other methods of contraception reduce the likelihood of conception, but do not exclude it. It is safer to use two or three methods at the same time - for example, use a condom and oral contraceptives.